Working as Unto God and not as unto Men: Lessons from Joseph of Arimathea - Episode 2

Philip Afeti Korto

Would You Say Joseph of Arimathea was a Traitor or he only chose to Glorify God?

Having read and refreshed your memory about Joseph of Arimathea in Episode 1 of this article, what are your impressions about him? what lessons do his personality, beliefs, and deeds offer you?

In Episode-1, we learnt that the four Canonical Gospels (Mathew, Mark, Luke and John) state that Joseph of Arimathea was part of the Pontius Pilate- led Governing Council that unanimously condemned Jesus to death. Mark 14: 64 states, “You have heard his blasphemy. What is your decision?” And they all condemned him as deserving death.” Mark 15:1 also states, "As soon as it was morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole Council."

The whole Council was part of the meeting that decided on condemning Jesus to death and Joseph of Arimathea was part of this Council or Sanhedrin. Having been part of the Sanhedrin, it means that Joseph of Arimathea took part in condemning Jesus to death. So why did he turn around playing pious and wanted Pilate’s approval to remove and bury the body of Jesus?

Mindful of the fact that Joseph and his assistant Nicodemus were also members of the Council, was Jesus then buried by His enemies? This matter has been an unending debate in theological circles. To me, the answer is NO; Jesus was not buried by His enemies. This is because the Gospels say that Nicodemus had acknowledged that Jesus was a Rabbi from God while Joseph of Arimathea was also a secret disciple of Jesus.

Even the disciples (Peter and his colleagues) had deserted Jesus and fled out of fear so who would bury the body for us to have the resurrection and the empty tomb? Whatever it was, the body must be buried according to scriptures and customs of the Israelites. Besides, the will of God must be done. This is because Deuteronomy 21: 22-23 state emphatically, "When someone is convicted of a capital offense and is executed, and you hang him on a tree, his body shall not remain all night on the tree, but you shall indeed bury him that same day. For anyone who is hanged is under God's curse; you must not defile your land which the Lord your God is giving to you as an inheritance."

Perhaps mindful of the fact that Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus were part of the Sanhedrin that condemned Jesus to death, Acts 13: 27-29 state, "Because the residents of Jerusalem and their leaders did not recognize him or understand the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath, they fulfilled those words by condemning him. Even though they found no cause for a sentence of death, they asked Pilate to have him killed. When they had carried out everything that was written about him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb." Reading this makes one to draw the logical conclusion that Jesus was buried by His enemies.

However, the Gospels described Joseph the Councillor from Arimathea as a good man and a secret disciple of Jesus. Nicodemus also believed that Jesus was from God.

Was Joseph of Arimathea just a traitor in council or he only wanted to give his Rabbi to whom he was a secret disciple, a befitting burial? I do not think Joseph was a traitor. The gory circumstances compelled him not to openly display his discipleship to Jesus. Even Peter, a known disciple denied ever-knowing Jesus when the situation became tense. After all, Judas Iscariot from the camp of Jesus went secretly and betrayed Jesus to His assailants so it was just fine that Joseph, a secret disciple of Jesus was also on the Council that caused the crucifixion to be done. He was able to monitor events closely, making him have the opportunity to carry out the holy burial. In any event, Pontius Pilate himself was compelled to permit the crucifixion; hence, he washed his hands after releasing Jesus to the murderous crowd. Deep at heart he did not want to condemn Jesus but he was compelled to Work Unto Man instead of Working Unto God.

Joseph’s actions can be explained, using Irving L. Janis’ (1972) social-psychological groupthink theory. The theory states that people strive for a consensus in a group, thereby setting aside their own personal beliefs and accepting what the majority thinks is right. However, the theory further indicates that non-conformers within a group often keep quiet. They express no view on group decisions. It is their way of keeping the peace rather than causing a conundrum within the group. This vividly explains Joseph’s action in the burial of Jesus. Joseph did not want to openly state his disagreement with the group (Council). That explains why he tactically sought for prior approval from Pilate before starting the burial rites. One should not be surprised that Pilate might have dispatched soldiers who helped Joseph in taking down the body, which was handing up.

Lessons from Joseph of Arimathea

This role of removing and burying the holy body of Jesus Christ by Joseph of Arimathea happened in the evening when preparations were being made for the Sabbath on the ensuing day (Mark 15:42). In fact, removing and burying the body of Jesus made Joseph of Arimathea unclean for seven days because Numbers 19:11 says, “Whoever touches a human corpse will be unclean for seven days.” This meant that Joseph of Arimathea was not clean to participate in the Sabbatical celebrations. We can learn the lessons enumerated below from Joseph of Arimathea.

1. He was politically correct in his way of seeking approval from Pilate before taking the body down for burial. He respected authority and he was a good negotiator.
2. He was emotionally intelligent and a generous man, buying the shroud from his personal coffers to do the burial.
3. He chose not to follow the crowd blindly.
4. He was hardworking and a good time manager who completed the burial activities on the same day Jesus died. This was in accordance with the scriptures. He was a result-oriented person who did not take delight in playing to the public gallery. A very instrumental rather than an overly expressive figure.
5. He showed that there was no better Sabbath than performing a communal duty in the nature of a holy burial.
6. He was a good organiser and resource mobiliser. He pulled both human resource (Nicodemus), financial resource (money) and material resources (shroud and tomb) in carrying out the burial in no time.
7. He demonstrated immense ability to work under pressure especially when it became necessary to meeting a tight deadline. In accordance with Deuteronomical law, the body must not hang on the cross over night. Joseph was able to meet that tight deadline. He was indeed a good event planner and supervisor. He was not a lackadaisical fellow but rather timely and action-oriented in approach.
8. He focused on pleasing God rather than pleasing the Council members.
9. Joseph of Arimathea ignored his position as a Council member and worked unto God by burying the body of Christ even on the eve of Sabbath when he knew that he would be unclean for the next seven days.
10. He used his social network (relationship with Pilate) to serve God and community. His communal lifestyle resonates with the words of Philippians 2:4, which states, “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”

Conclusion and My Easter Prayer for You

To this end, Joseph of Arimathea is worth emulating. In this Easter, therefore, I pray that the Lord God Himself should endow you with wisdom and the foregoing good qualities of Joseph of Arimathea. I pray that the Lord God will use the Easter celebrations to make the Blood of Jesus your spiritual identity. May the Davidic spirit in you overcome every Goliath spirit standing before you. May Joseph of Arimathea bury your worries in the tomb of Jesus and may Jesus rise up anew in your life.

On her Facebook wall, my colleague by name Joanita da Pilma, a Chief Health Service Administrator of Ridge Hospital wrote, “My prayer point has become my praise point. What God cannot do does not exist.” May these words cited from Joanita be your portion this Easter and the rest of the days of your life here on earth. Also, may all that has been reduced to noise in you become music again. The Lord God will answer your prayers favourably. Happy Easter and may the resurrection of the Lord Jesus redeem your soul.

~Asante Sana ~

Author: Philip Afeti Korto

Email: [email protected]